Chapter 1: Encountering the fiend
Years ago a kind hearted girl named Calista discovered ancient forbidden lore from her masters private library, which told the tales of powerful lords of death and despair who wielded magic so great it had the power to raze cities and level mountains. But these beings were profounding evil and warlike, monumental battles occured in their presence and intricate schemes were initiated with their cunning. Their atrocities almost destroyed the plane and left it in near ruin.
Intoxicated with this information and Calista read on for many nights until her master found out. As he barged into the study a vile darkness began to encroach her, Sensing her imminent peril Calista pleaded for mercy and promised to do anything to appease him. His rage was elemental for she had discovered the secret information he was using to advance onto the next rank. If the magus school knew he was planning to use such forbidden powers to advance his head would roll faster than he could even deny such wrongdoing. But suddenly the darkness faded away and her masters lips arched into a sinister smile.
He offered Calista two choices death, or obedience on his path and naturally Calista took the second option. For weeks Magus Bernard instructed the lore to her, but as she began to delve into the forbidden knowledge Calista began wondering if she made the right choice. She was terrified as she discovered she was going to deal with malevolent forces far beyond her realm of imagination.
One day her master came to her in excitement, she knew his plans have come to began to come to fruition. He discovered the tomb of an ancient being. His name was Melvin von malus a living incarnation of evil who doomed multitudes of souls to damnation with his powers. Under a joint magus coalition they put down the fiend and rejoiced for they had saved the world. Following Melvin's death his followers constructed a tomb fit for an monarch , and participated in ritualistic suicide damning their souls to the lower planes all in an effort to keep his power alive and one day resurrect into the material plane.
But Calista was assured Melvin von malus was long gone, as these events took place centuries ago, Magus Bernard even suspected his deeds were glorified just to make his story more interesting. Her mission was to retrieve the Book of Babel:
A small book that can be turned into a single use medium-sized portal. When you enter you go to the Library of Babel, a nearly infinite library with every book that has been written and will be written. All combinations of letters on pages can be found within the uncountable shelves. You have to come back to where you entered the library to leave. Be warned everything has a price, don't take more than you can bargain for.
Magus Bernard promised if she retrieved the artifact then she would be released to live her life again. This promised seemed to renew Calista's hope. And In feverish haste she journeyed to the newly discovered tomb, to reap the most benefits. If they wasn't quick enough the tomb would be taken by some magus family or school, even a war might be fought for the ownership of this tomb.
As she got closer to the location of the tomb Calista felt a ominous feeling linger in her very soul. When she caught glimpse of the ghastly gate the dread nearly stopped her heart, it contained evil magic runes and symbols that were undesirable but she knew the once mighty magic they once contained. Calista's soul screamed at her to leave this damned place but her body stood firm. She did not go through this endeavour just to stop it all here just before the gate, failing before she accomplish anything.
So with one reluctant step over the other Calista pushed worn down gate open, it's very touch gave her chills that streaked through her body. Pushing through the shock calista took out the map of the tomb and headed straight for the burial chamber, where her precious inheritance lie. The passage was ghost-silent and lit by the luminance of the moon, it connect to a staircase that lead to the lower levels of the tomb. Calsita cautiously made her way to the stairs but as she began her descent lower and lower nefarious voices whispered in her mind, telling her secrets of the ancients and vile and atrocious deeds that have been committed on this land.
"Leave this place mortal, this is a cursed domain! You will lose your foolish life" A voice warned.
Calista began to doubt going on but knew the aim of these voices was to corrupt her so she tried to ignore them. Who knew if what they spoke of was false but what if they were true? When she finally arrived into the burial chamber she was withering like a dying plant. To her horror streaks of gray began to form in her head and her skin began to pale to a ghostly white.
Calista hurriedly opened the tomb door and it's opulent layout was incredible. Precious jewels and metals adorned the walls of the expansive room, priceless painting and sculptures littered the area, and numerous scrolls containing arcane knowledge sat covered in dust. But most importantly a jet black coffin lay at the end of the room with a vacant tub was centered right in the middle. She slowly approached the rune carved coffin looking for any signs of danger, but only a crack caught her eye. Calista looked over the coffin and noticed the crack led to a missing piece, she nervously peeped into the coffin and fooze.
Half the face of the mummified Melvin vo malus was exposed, to her horror the coffin began to tremble and she witnessed the glint of dark malevolent eyes, the Melvin von malus had arisen. Suddenly Calista felt a fear grip her heart as began to realize she had orchestrated her own ruination. While staring into the eyes of the creature, she gradually fell into utter insanity as her mind fractured.
Centuries seemed to pass when she was trapped in that mindless state until a wicked voice roused her from her trance. But it was only a moment
"Fool, didn't you know the eyes of vampire are two deep pits in which a mortal can find his doom." Melvin hissed in a cracked voice filled with despair.
"Wha..what is a vampire?" Calista questioned curiously.
An intolerable silence took place until Melvin spoke again "How much time has passed? Has the legacy of the noble vampires fallen so low, My kind almost destroyed this world, now we are forgotten, how is that even possible?"
"Master, I am but a lowly magus acolyte the magus still know of you but the information is forbidden." Calista apologized.
"Master, hmmm" Melvin repeated, the word not escaping his sight, "You mortals do learn quick, but any species that can forget staring into the abyss of its own doom does not deserve to live."
"I can serve you" Calista muttered as she collapsed before the coffin streaks running down her eyes."
"You have the power to do nothing for me, except give me your soul." Melvin crackled
Suddenly Calista felt the familiar attack on her mind, she began to screech as she resisted the vampire control over her soul.
"You fool! Resisting will destroy your soul and you will fall into oblivion, without your soul you can't reincarnate."
Calsita formed a tired smile "If it means thwarting your malevolent return to the plane then it will be worth it. My love for humanity will endure!"
"You mortals and your dim-wittedness." Normally Melvin would not hesitate to destroy a soul of an inferior creature such as this but he needed her soul to fuse his ascension to the plane. In Melvin's mind he was actually offering a mery to Calista, her soul would be bound to his marvelous existence. Any of his followers would have jumped at such a chance as this, Melvin had expected the girl to drop down in worship instead she gave him defiance. "Let see how long your mortal love and mind last!" Melvin smiled, he planned to torture her until she gave in to him.
Screams of terror reverberated throughout the chamber, but never managed to penetrate the surface.
